Insurers Shouldn't Control Medicine Use

Thanks to Kevin Hunt for shining the light on payer inconsistencies in his thoughtful March 29 column, "Off-Label Battle" [Smarter Living].

As a patient myself, I thought Beth Battaglino, CEO of HealthyWomen.org, who was cited in the column, summed it up perfectly: "Providers must have the discretion to prescribe the medicines -- on- or off-label -- that are best for their patients, not an insurer's balance sheet."

The prescription of off-label medicines requires extensive medical training, clinical experience and direct knowledge of a patient's medical history, all of which is best understood by a patient's own doctor.

The decision to use a medicine -- on- or off-label -- must be put back in the hands of patients and their own physicians, and not mandated by health insurers motivated by corporate gains.

Wendy Berggren Foster, Meriden

The writer is a senior advocacy ambassador for the U.S. Pain Foundation, a patient advocacy group.